Shai Hope's Historic 162 Stuns India, West Indies Break Chase Record in New Chandigarh

In a truly stunning display of batting prowess, West Indies captain Shai Hope smashed an unbeaten 162 runs off just 143 balls, leading his team to a historic five-wicket victory over India in the third and final One Day International (ODI) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh yesterday. This monumental innings allowed the West Indies to successfully chase down a formidable target of 352, marking their highest-ever successful run chase in ODI cricket and preventing India from achieving a clean 3-0 series sweep. Hope's extraordinary knock didn't just win a match; it rewrote the record books. His 162 not out is now the highest individual score by a West Indies batter in a successful ODI run chase, surpassing Chris Gayle long-standing record of 162. It also stands as the highest individual score by any batter in an ODI run chase against India, overtaking former records held by Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan and England's Andrew Strauss. India, despite a brilliant unbeaten century (129 runs) from KL Rahul, who helped them post 351/7, couldn't contain Hope's calculated aggression, especially with a slow over rate penalty affecting their bowling in the crucial final overs. The victory, while a consolation as India had already secured the three-match ODI series with earlier wins in Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati, provides a much-needed boost for the West Indies Cricket Team and Captain Hope's leadership. Both teams now shift their focus to a five-match T20 International (T20I) series, starting Tuesday in Lucknow. Cricket fans will be eager to see if this performance injects new life into the West Indies' limited-overs campaign, challenging India's dominance in the upcoming shorter format contests.